Chris Hipkins took out the checkered flag on Friday.
He was go-karting in Upper Hutt, a bit of a quirky campaign stop.
He looked determined on the track, enjoying himself. He was confident.
It’s perhaps an energy missing at the start of the campaign, but sorely needed if he is to have any chance of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat in a week’s time.
After Hipkins caught Covid-19 and succumbed to five days locked up in a hotel room less than two weeks out from election day many thought this must be it, the death knell.
Hipkins had just days earlier decimated his counterpart, Christopher Luxon, in the Newshub leaders’ debate and appeared in the post-match press conference ready, at last, to put up the fight necessary to match the growing juggernaut on the right and mood for change.
He then gave a rousing speech in the Far North, vowing to stand up for Māori at every turn and fight “race-baiting” as he saw it - something he should have perhaps delivered earlier as Prime Minister in defence of Labour’s co-government reforms but, still, it hit the mark among supporters.
Then along came Covid, and in a cruel twist of fate for the former Covid-19 Minister it was him stuck in a hotel room away from family, missing out on some of the most important moments of his life.
But somehow that five-day interlude appears to have done nothing to quash that fighting spirit.
From the confines of his hotel room, Hipkins took the upper hand this week, in no small thanks to economists at the Council of Trade Union, in finding yet another major flaw in National’s tax plan.
National attempted at first to attack the origins of the information, pointing out its connections to the Labour Party, before 24 hours later having to come clean that the numbers were in fact correct and just 3000 or 0.18 per cent of New Zealand households would get the full $250 a fortnight tax cut.
Their defence was two words: “up to”.
But low and behold a simple Google search revealed numerous instances where that was not the case. In fact, Luxon repeated the error in a press conference on Friday just moments after apologising for making misleading statements in the past.
As Hipkins emerged from isolation on Friday it was as if the five days had somehow energised him and cleared his head.
“Feels great to be back, I like the fresh air. Nothing like the Wellington wind after being stuck inside.”
He was met with raucous cheers from supporters in the typically safe Labour electorate of Rongotai, where he took part in half an hour of rallying on the side of the road.
The Herald observed a mostly positive reaction, judging by the tone of the car horns.
There, supporters were optimistic, despite the polls that continued to show a National, Act and NZ First government the most likely proposition - including another on Friday itself.
Volunteer Sue Ryall said there was a positive mood among supporters and felt the polls could be turned around for Labour.
“It’s not over until it’s over, we just need to get our people out to vote.”
She said it was “gutting” Hipkins was taken out by Covid but felt the rest of the team had stepped up.
Alongside other Labour Wellington candidates was Barbara Edmonds, who said there was a really positive atmosphere in Mana for Labour. Her team doorknocked 500 homes yesterday in four hours, and all were supportive, she said.
Porirua, in the heart of Mana, was the next stop. And Edmonds was not lying.
It wasn’t busy at the outdoor mall - it was midday on a Friday after all - but Hipkins was still mobbed by supporters for photos and many simply to wish him luck.
Edmonds had lined up some of her favourite spots for visits, though she insists not one of the people who approached Hipkins were staged. She simply knows nearly everyone in her electorate.
This was true Labour country. Lemamea and Iva Ina of Aniva Creations tailoring welcomed Hipkins with, literally, open arms. They had made Edmonds’ outfit for her maiden speech.
From there it was to Diwan Syrian restaurant, a family-run business founded by former refugees.
They were ecstatic at Hipkins’ arrival. They had opened their restaurant during the pandemic and it had been thriving ever since.
Hipkins tried to resist the offer of a meal from owner Mazen Diwan, but they wouldn’t take no for an answer.
Out came plate, after plate, after plate of baklavah - a sweet treat that Hipkins proclaimed was the “taste of freedom”.
Then there was their trademark chicken shawarma for the road.
“I don’t only eat sausage rolls,” quipped Hipkins, whose diet has become something of a campaign series in its own right.
Moments later he was provided a box of at least a dozen cream-filled donuts.
The next stop was Partners Porirua, a youth centre where Hipkins was given a warm welcome.
In an almost conciliatory speech the manager told Hipkins no matter what happened in the next few weeks, they appreciated everything Labour had done for them and the Porirua community.
Hipkins then had a go at a TikTok video, which the Herald understands is a first. He got there after several practice runs, and left a good impression on the young potential voters about.
At the press conference he had another crack at National’s tax plan, along with comments from NZ First leader Winston Peters downplaying the human impact on climate change.
He was again upbeat about the campaign ahead.
“A lot can happen in the short space of time of the final days of an election campaign.”
Hipkins said he was “feeling great”.
“We’ve seen quite a lot of momentum, even though I was isolating. I’ve always got a second wind in me.”
Hipkins said “there will be familiar faces” appearing to support Labour in the next eight days, though wouldn’t confirm if one of them would be former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, after National rolled out John Key on Thursday.
He didn’t seem to want to acknowledge results of the Taxpayers’ Union – Curia Poll, that dropped just moments before, showing yet again the left bloc trailing well behind, nor about the rise of NZ First and how to combat it.
Hipkins said the “real question” was what National planned to do about climate change.
“A National, Act, New Zealand First government would be disastrous for the climate.”
He also had little to say about if he thought Labour’s attacks on National’s tax plan would really cut through to voters, and cut through the seemingly insurmountable mood for change.
From there it was off to Brewtown in Upper Hutt, with the first stop several laps at Daytona Adventure Park go-kart course.
Hipkins looked determined, clinical even, on the track, gaining on those ahead and overtaking at will.
He won the race, though lost out on the fastest lap.
It was off to Boneface Brewing Co next for a celebratory beer: an American pilsner was the mid-afternoon choice.
Soon after sitting down with his colleagues he was approached by Georgi Georgiev, decked out in drag and on his stag do. He was getting married on Monday.
Egged on by his mates he sat with down the Prime Minister for a beer and a chinwag in front of the nation’s media. After he left, Hipkins followed up by buying him a pint and wishing him well for the marriage ahead.
“I don’t usually vote Labour,” said Georgiev. “But he’s all right.”
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